Device to be worn in the ear for eliminating or damping noise reaching the ear of the wearer



Sept. 28, 1937. M. HAL'LE 2,09 ,534

DEVICE TO BE WORN IN THE EAR FOR ELIMINATING OR DAMPING NOISE REACHING THE EAR OF THE WEARER Filed Jan. 29, 1936 Maw Halle,

/Q QM W f Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Max Halle, Berlin, Germany, assignor to Horst Giinther Hallc, Eisenach, Germany Application January 29, 1936, Serial No. 61,384 In Great Britain October 22, 1935 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device to be worn in the ear for eliminating or damping noise as it reaches the ear of the wearer.

Devices for this purpose, hereafter referred to as anti-phones are known, which can be inserted into and removed from the auditory canal in order-to seal the latter. These known antiphones are either in the form of hard bodies, for example metal bodies, of a shape adapted to per mit of their insertion into the external auditory canal, or alternatively they are semisoft bodies, for example, small silk bags filled with powder, the external shape of which yields to the shape of the auditory canal into which they are inserted, thereby effectively sealing the auditory canal. The solid anti-phones present the disadvantage that they exert strong pressure upon the auditory canal and therefore cause pain if worn for any length of time. The semi-soft powder-filled silk bags present the disadvantage that the requisite sealing of the auditory canal ceases to be effective in the course of time or is never completely achieved.

The device according to the present invention on the one hand eliminates the disadvantages of the known hard anti-phones, and on the other hand those of the known soft anti-phones, in view of the fact that a fluffy wad, preferably made of cotton wool and provided with a thread loop for handling purposes, that is to say for withdrawing the anti-phone from the auditory canal, is coated with a non-adhesive substance which is soft and capable of being kneaded at body temperature in such a way that the fibres of the material penetrate into the coating and hold the latter in position so that it cannot break off. This coating may also be subjected to antiseptic treatment and dyed.

When such an anti-phone is inserted in the auditory canal, it will become soft within a few minutes and by the application of slight pressure to the tragus of the ear can be pushed into the interior of the external auditory canal in such a way that it takes the shape of the latter and lodges firmly in it, with the result that the auditory canal is sealed so tightly and permanently without causing unpleasant pressure, that the external noise is damped to a very large degree.

According to one way of carrying the invention into practice, the sealing member comprises a body of approximately spherical shape. Connected at one end to said body is a loop thread a coating 4 of a material which becomes plastic,

the wearer.

of suificient length to enable the member to be withdrawn easily when required, from the auditory canal into which it has been inserted.

A constructional form of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying 5 drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a sectional view.

The sealing body I to be inserted into the auditory canal is of approximately spherical shape. With this body a thread loop 2 of suitable length is connected. By means of this loop the body I inserted into the auditory canal can at any moment easily be removed from the ear by the wearer himself.

According to Fig. 2 the body I comprises a core 3, which for instance may be made from wadding and to which the thread loop is sewn or otherwise secured. This core 3 is covered with when it is exposed to the heat of the human body, and which for instance may consist of paraffin wax. When the layer 4 has attained the temperature of the human body, for instance by being inserted into the auditory canal, the composite body will by the application of a slight pressure assume the shape of the auditory canal and permanently and perfectly seal the same towards the outside, without hurting or troubling I claim:--

1. A device to be inserted conformably in the auditory canal of the ear for excluding or damping noise, comprising, a loose core of fibrous material having a string attached thereto for withdrawal of the device, said core being coated with a non-adhesive substance of substantial thickness and which is non-plastic at normal temperature but becomes plastic at body temperature and is kneadable whereby the fibres of the loose core are caused to penetrate into the coating.

2. A device to be inserted conformably in the auditory canal of the ear for excluding or damping noise, comprising, a loose core of cotton wool provided with a loop of thread for withdrawal of the device, said core being encased in a nonadhesive coating of paraflin wax of substantial thickness and which is non-plastic at normal temperature but softens and becomes kneadable at body temperature and whereby the fibres of the core penetrate said coating when kneaded. 50

MAX HALIE. 

